Apparatus for manipulating plate-glass.



1. w. CRUIKSHANK.

APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING P LATE GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20.1912.

Patnted Dec. 4, 1917.7

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1. w. CRUIKSHANK. APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING PLATE GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20. l9l2.

Patented Dec. 4, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 mdml 1. w. CRUIKSHANK. APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING PLATEGLASS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20. I912.

1,248,81 9. Patented Dec. 4,1917.

3 SHEETS-$HEET 3.

Is. 0) Q NJ Q n- UNITED PATENT oFFIon.

JAMES W. GRUIKSHANK, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'I'O T. W.CBUIK-.

SHANK ENGINEERING COMPANY,

OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 1917.

Application filed June 20, 1912. Serial No. 704,846.

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it. known that I, JAMES W. (dunno SHANE, a resident of Pittsburgh,1n the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain. new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for ManipulatingPlate-Glass, of Which the following is a specification.

One object of the invention to fac1l1 tate the transfer of plate fromthe leer to the cutting table as well as the manipulation thereof on thetable, provision being resting thereon, as may be desired.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic 'plan view ofapparatus embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of a portionofthe transfer car. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of one of the cuttingtables, the same being shown raised or tilted in dotted lines. Fig. 4.is a section of a portion of the table illustrating the mechanism whichoperates all of the plate roller supports simultaneously, and Fig.Sillustrates the mechanism whereby any one of the roller supports may bemoved independently of the others. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a portion of one of the cutting tables.

' and S are views in detail of the mechanism for operating the platesupports.

' Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the discharge end of a plateglassannealing leer which may be of any desired construction, and 3 aretracks extending past the leer discharge on which moves the transfer caror truck 4. The plate supporting surface of the truck consists of aseries of roller shafts 5 whose axes are parallel with tracks 3. andatright angles to the direction of movement of the plates as theydischarge from leer 2. At one end of thecar shafts 5 are geared totransverse shafts 6 and these shafts are geared to and driven by anelectric motor 7,

mounted on an end extension or shelf 8 ofthecar, the gearing being soarranged that all of shafts 5 may be rotated simultaneously in the samedirection. For withdrawing plates from the leer it is only necessary toproject them onto the edge of-the car when the motor-driven rollers willtake hold and fully withdraw them. A n'iotor'ltl on shelf 8 may begeared at Ll, Figs. 1 and 2, to an axle of the car for propelling thesame.

The plate laden car is n'iovcd a long tracks 3 into position todischarge the pistes for cutting, and in the preferred adaptation of theinvention two cutting tables 9 are pro vided, one arranged at eitherside of the tracks, so that the plates may he transferred to eithertable and the removal of plates from. the leer need not be interruptedby congestion of work on one table as is now frequel'itly the case. Thecutting tables may be located in close proximity to the leer or at adistance therefrom as desired,'and may be inclosed or housed in abuilding quite separate from the leer. Each of the tables is adapted totilt vertically for placing the plates on edge as is necessary forremoving I them, and when. tWQ tables are employed I prefer to soarrange them that the sides or edges thereof adjacent tracks 3 are theportions that rise when the tables are tilted. An overhead crane 10 isprovided for removing the plates from the tilting tables and forcarrying them to the stock racks or other places within the plant, theends of the crane moving on tracks of usual construe tion, one of whichis indicated at 11, Fig. 1 the crane being provided With the usuahoisting buggy 12. No novelty is claimed for the overhead crane, norbroadly for a vertically tilting table, these features being old in theart.

tudinahedge thereof to oscillate vertically on supp ts 17, 18 indicatingthe center about which the table moves. Included in the table und.rframe are beams or girders 19, each of which is formedavith a curvedor rounded end "portion 20 which is'chalr neled'as shown to provideguides for chains 21 which are secured to the table. The chains areadaptedto wind on drums '22 secured to shaft 23 suitably mounted beneatheither therewith or thereon for raising and lowering bars 27. Dependingfrom shafts 29 are arms 31 which carry threaded sleeves 32 in whichoperate shaft 33 provided with hand-Wheel 34, shaft 33 being so threadedthat rotation thereof in. one direction moves arms 31 inward 6r towardeach other for raising crank arms and bars 27, while rotation in areverse direction imparts a reverse movement to the crank arms.

Connection between shafts 29 and crank arms 30 is shown in' detail inFigs. 7 and 8. Each of arms 30, which are loose on shafts 29, is formedwith clutch face-35 which is engaged by a similar face 36 of collar 37fast on .the shaft, so that when the'shaft'is turned in direction toraise arms 30 each of the latter are raised. Each of arms30 is providedwith a socket 38 which is adapted to receive a removable handle 39, andby this means any of'the arms 30 and the roller bars supported therebymay be raised independently of the other bars, the. arms simply turningon the shafts and out of engagement with the shouldered collars 37 aswill be understood.

It) will be noted that the axes of all of rollers 28 are parallel withthe axes of the rollers on the transfer car, so that the car rollers maybe motor-driven for moving the plate or plates therefrom to the tableand at which time the bars 27 are raised above surface 25 sufiicientlyto receive the plates and facilitate their movement. The bars may thenbe lowered,-permitting'the plates to rest on top surface 25, or they maybe. so adjusted as to support theplate just above said surface so thatthe plate may be com veniently moved toward either edge of thetable forfacilitating the cutting operation.

If the line of cut is longitudinally of the table, the plate may berolled toward one lon itudinal edge or the other of the tableso t at thepart to be severed ma be pro- 'i'ectedfrom the'table and snappe If theine of the cut is transversel of the table, one or another of the indiviually movable.

. bars 27 which is 'adjacent.to and parallel with the diamond score maybe raised, thus 'sna ping the-plate on any line across the tab e thatmay be desired.

After the plate has been cut, removable hindrance and in which the plateremovin pins 40 ma be placed in holes or sockets 41 in top surv ace 25to provide rests for the lower edges of the cut plates when the table isturned upward, as in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thereby supporting theplates on ed e and in position to be removed by the trave in'g crane 10.The plate-engaging hooks or ot ie r means for removing-the plates fromthe table are not shown, being old and well known in the art.

Heretofore, it has been usual to employ only a single cutting tablewhichfrequently I becomes congested with broken glass, etc., and seriouslydelays the removal of plates from the leer. By employing two tablescapable of interchangeable use and- Ryith mechanical means forfacilitating movement of I the plates to and from the transfercar, the Iwork may pi'oceed expeditiously and with a comparatively small amount ofhand labor. In fact, the eliminationjof 'a very. considerable part ofhand work commonly required for transferring and cutting glass plates ischaracteristic of the improved apparatus. The handling of heavy plateglass is a delicate and dangerous operation, and the elimination of muchof this hand work by the substitution of accurately operating mechanicalmeans greatly reduces the danger of accidents, avoids breakage, andrenders it possible to conduct the workj gnore expeditiously and withgreater 'accur:

Prior to the present invention it h customary to arrange a single cuttin.m fixed or unshifting position at thef-discharge end of the leer,inwhich positionthe cutters are exposed to the heat and gases Sucharrangement is open to the further objection that 10$:

discharging from the leer.

such single cutting table frequently becomes conjested, seriouslyretarding the work. Successful leer, including its discharge end, in aclosed practice necessitates locating the building to exclude drafts andsudden changes in temperature that may injurie ously affect the glasswithin the leer and the glass as it emerges therefrom. qui'rcmentshamper manipulating the de-. livered glass an add to the inconvenienceand discomfort of the workman at the cut tin table. With the presentinvention these di culties areovercome as the'leer and out ting t'able'or tables may be arranged insepae tracks over which the transfer cartravels, thereby making table or tables 1n a separate roomy building] inwhich the work may proceed without crane may be conveniently arranged anoperated. r

These re- 1'16 rate buildings which are connected by the it possibletorarrange the" 1. In plate glass apparatus, tli'ehltombinas Q.

distance from the leer, tracks extending from the leer end to saidtables, a transfer car movable on the-tracks and adapted to receiveplates from the leer and discharge them on one or another of the tablesinterchangeably, plate moving means on the transfer car, and means onthe cutting tables I for raising said plates relatively to the sur- 1face of the tables.

2. In late glass apparatus, the combina tion wit the discharge end of a.leer, of

' tracks extending from said leer end at right angles to the dIIBCtiOII'of movement of the plates when discharging from the leer, cuttingt'ables arranged at o posite sides of the tracks at a distance rom theleer, a

. transfer car movable on the tracks for deliverl-ng plates to one oranother of the cutting-tables, plate moving means on the transfer car,and means on the cutting tables "for raising seid,plates relatively tothe surfaceof the tables.

3. In tion wit the dischnrge end of a leer, of a cutting table locatedat a distance from the leer, means for moving the table from horileteglass apparatus, the'combinazontel plate-receiving position to uprightplate-delivering position, tracks extending from theleer end to thetable, and a, transfer car movable on the tracks and ada ted to receiveplates from the 'leer and de iver' them to the table'when the latteris'in plate-1 receiving positionlk Y In testimon whereof I affix mysignature in presence 0 two witnesses.

JAMES W CRUIKSHANK.

' Witnesses:

J. M. Nnsnrr, F. E. GAITHER.

